Musk captures GSA Women's crown

By Richard Oliver :
June 2, 2013
: Updated: June 3, 2013 11:17am

Meghan Musk shoots for the green on No. 5 en route to her second straight Greater San Antonio Women's Championship.

Chaslyn Chrismer, who struggled to an 11-over 82 on Sunday, hits out of a fairway bunker on the sixth hole.

Photo By JERRY LARA/San Antonio Express-News

Meghan Musk checks the distance to the hole while on the 7th fairway as she competes in the final day of the Greater San Antonio Women's, Senior Women's and Women's Mid-Am Championship at Brackenridge Golf Course, Sunday, June 2, 2013.

Photo By JERRY LARA/San Antonio Express-News

Maddy Buhler hits off the five tee box during final day of competition at the Greater San Antonio Women's, Senior Women's and Women's Mid-Am Championship at Brackenridge Golf Course, Sunday, June 2, 2013.

Photo By JERRY LARA/San Antonio Express-News

Shelly Harden lines up her putt on the twelve green during the final day of competition at the Greater San Antonio Women's, Senior Women's and Women's Mid-Am Championship at Brackenridge Golf Course, Sunday, June 2, 2013.

Photo By JERRY LARA/San Antonio Express-News

Kelley Nittoli reacts after making her putt on the twelve green during the final day of the Greater San Antonio Women's, Senior Women's and Women's Mid-Am Championship at Brackenridge Golf Course, Sunday, June 2, 2013.

Chaslyn Chrismer already was frustrated when she finally stood over her ball on the No. 16 fairway at Brackenridge Golf Course on Sunday. Usually a quick-paced player, she'd spent a long while seated on the grass, waiting for the group ahead to finish on the green.

Clambering to her feet at last, eyeing the distant flag, the former MacArthur High standout swung hard — and sent mud flying farther than her ball, which plunked into the narrow creek snaking across 15 yards ahead.

“No excuses,” Chrismer said later. “I was quitting on it, so unsure of myself. The whole day, my confidence was lacking. It was never there.”

Meghan Musk, despite her own misfires in an uneven final round, took full advantage en route to her second straight open title at the Greater San Antonio Women's Championship.

Musk, who just finished her tenure playing at Sam Houston State, managed a 7-over 78 on a course saturated by a predawn thunderstorm. Her 13-over 226 total in the three-day tournament was eight strokes ahead of Chrismer, who closed with an 82 on Sunday.

In the senior division, Shelly Harden broke out of a two-round tie with Kelley Nittoli with a closing 70, moving her to 214 overall. Nittoli shot 76 on Sunday to finish six strokes back.

The championship was Harden's seventh GSA crown, ranking her among the most successful amateur players in city annals. It was her second senior trophy after earning four women's open titles.

“I just told myself to beat 'Old Man Par,'” said Harden, who also has won a city match-play title. “I think I was just really consistent.”

Allison Kinser, a former St. Edward's standout, finished off her domination of the mid-amateur division with a final-round 75. Her overall 224 was 16 strokes ahead of Claudia Ramirez.

Musk, a graduate of Health Careers High, stumbled to 6-over on the back nine, including a double-bogey at the par-4 11th that gave Chrismer life. Musk played Nos. 11-13 at 4-over.

“I had those three holes where I was out of focus,” Musk said.

“I had to try to get my focus back. There was a lot of golf left, still birdies out there.”

After Chrismer, a former city junior runner-up, eventually pulled within two strokes of the lead, she saw her hopes crumble with a bogey at the par-3 15th before the chunk into the water on the next hole, a par-4, resulted in double bogey.

“She would open the door, and I'd come in and stick my foot in,” Chrismer said. “Then she shut the door.”